Car-coupling



UNITED STATES- PATFNi` OFFICE.

THOMAS eAsKINs, OF AROADIA, FLORIDA.

CAR-COUPLING.

. SPECI]:`IC.Z-kTIOI-N forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,075, dated March 19, 1895.

Application filed November 5, 1894. Serial No. 527,893. (No model.) I

, Arcadia, in the county of De Soto and State of Florida, have invented a new and useful y,Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that form of car coupling properly known as the Janney7 type in which the draw-head is provided upon one side with an articulated knuckle adapted to couple with a similar knuckle on the other draw-head, which knuckles are provided with means for locking them rigidly in their coupled position, or allowing them to be turned outwardly to be disengaged from each other.

My invention is in the nature of certain improvements upon'the car. coupling of the same type for which I filed an application for a patent April 2l, 1894, Serial No. 508,428, and Which was allowed July 26, 1894.

My invention consists chieiiy in an improved construction and arrangement of the locking lever which holds the coupling knuckle, whereby the draft strain on the coupling pin isvso reduced as to permit it to be operated by hand even when the draft strain is on as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure l is a horizontal section of the coupling in the locked position. Fig. 2 is a similar view in the open position. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section through line 4-4 of Fig. l.

In the drawings A represents the drawhead, which has a hollow chambered portion B on one side, and a curved forward projection B on the other side. In the outer end of the side B of the draw-head there is pivoted or hinged upon a vertical pin D, a coupling knuckle a a constructed as a short elbow lever whose outer arm or, forms the coupling hook, and whose inner arm a is at right angles to the outer arm and is acted upon by locking devices. These locking devices consist of a horizontal lever b and a vertical pin C. The lever b oscillates about a vertical axis located directly in rear of the pivot pin D of the knuckle. At one end of the lever b on its front side and immediately in front of its axis of articulation, and extendinga little beyond the center of this axis, is a curved seat h2 b3 in which the rounded end of the knuckle arm a plays, working therein as an abutment. In the opening movement of the knuckle its hook end a moves outwardly, and its inner arm a moves toward the center of the draw bar and bears against the side b3 of the seat in lever b, tending to throw the free end of lever b rearwardly into the draw-head, and in the closing movement of the knuckle its arm ot strikes the side b2 of the seat in thelever b, and tends to throw its free end outwardly or to the front.

When the cars are coupled and the knuckle is in the position shown in Fig. l a locking pin C, upon the opposite side of the drawhead, is arranged to drop vertically through a hole i-n the draw-head, and passes behind the end of the lever b, preventing its free end from moving to the rear from the pressure of the end of the arm o. against the side b3 of the seat in lever b, which pressure is caused by the draft strain on the outer or hooked part ot of the knuckle; and so long as the pin C remainsv behind the free end ofv lever b the knuckle d a is locked in the coupled position.- When, however, the pin C is raised above range of engagement with the arm b, the said arm may move to the rear, and the knuckle arm ct and the hook a move outwardly, to permit of the uncoupling of the cars, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the draft strain is on the knuckle, the pressure vof its rear end is reduced in proportion to the leverage which its short arm a bears to the longer arm a', and this pressure of its rear end is still further very greatly reduced by the lever b because the end of arm a works against the lever b at a point coincident with its axis, which causes the longer free end of lever b to rest so very lightly against the pin C, that the frictional contact thereagainst is very light, and does not interfere with the free and easy lifting of the pin O to uncouple, even when the full draft strain is on. The pin C is made square at its upper part, its cross section being indicated at 1, 2, 3, 4, in Fig. 1, and the hole in the upper part of the draw bar is made to correspond. The lower end of the pin is, however, only about half the size, being cut away on one side, so that its cross section is only that shown at 1, 5, 6, 4, and the hole in the lower part of the draw bar ismade to correspond. There is therefore IOO left on the innei` side of this pin C a shoulder s, see Fig. 3, which when raised above the plane of the end of lever I) allows the latter to move back in coupling, and when dropped below the plane of lever Z) locks this lever from going back, and holds the coupling locked in its closed position.

To provide axial bearings for the oscillation of the lever b, it is formed with a cylindrical boss b5 at the top and be at the bottoni, which play within corresponding recesses in the draw-head. To permit the lever b to be inserted iu the mouth of the draw bar, curved channels h h at top and bottom of the throat are formed in the walls of the draw bar to give passage to the bosses b5 116 in insertingr or removing the lever Z).

To hold the bosses b5 bs in their proper axial position after being inserted in the channels 71. h', the bosses are made longer than the channels are deep, and at the end of the lower channel h there is a round hole h2 passing through the bottoni of the draw bar, and corresponding to the boss be. Vthen, in inserting the lever, the bosses reach the ends of the channels, the lever and bosses drop down, and boss b becomes seated in its bearing hole h2 which prevents it from coming out.

In setting the devices for automatic coupling, the parts are put in the position shown i in Figs. 2 and 3 with the shoulder s of pin C resting upon the end of lever ZJ. Now when the cars come together, the knuckles are closed by the impact, and the rear end of arm a', striking against the side b2 of the seat in lever ZJ, throws its free end to the front from beneath the shoulder s of the pin C, and allows the latter to pass behind the lever b which is immediately locked thereby, and in turn locks the long arm a of the knuckle. To un- Vcouple the cars, this is easily effected even when the draft strain is on, because there is but little frictional resistance on account of the reduction of leverage by the arrangement of the parts described.

In pointing out more clearly the features of this invention which distinguish it from my coupling heretofore referred to, I would state, that it lies chiefiy in arranging the arm a of the knuckle to penetrate to the center line or axis of the locking lever b, dispensing with the axial pin for this lever, and also further in the special provision of pivotal or axial bosses and bearings for the lever b. These improvements cause the draft strain to be much more lightly transmitted to the coupling pin C, so that the latter can be easily worked while the draft strain is on. I am also enabled to dispense entirely with one piece (the axial pin), and the whole coupling is rendered much simpler and cheaper, and more effective and practical in its operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- V l. In a car coupling, the combination with the knuckle; of a locking lever for the rear arm of the knuckle having at the top and bottom axial bearings composed entirely and simply of projecting bosses with a seat between them for the rear arm of the knuckle extending into the axial line of the bosses, and an adjustable pin or locking device for holding the outer end of the lever substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a car coupling, the combination with the knuckle; of a locking lever for the rear arm of the knuckle havingat the top and bottom axial bosses with a seat between them for the rear end of the knuckle extending into the axial line ofthe bosses, an adjustable locking pin for the outer end of the lever, and the draw-l1ead having channels in its throat to give passage to the bosses of the lever, and a hole at the end ot' the lower channel for the reception of the lower boss and the retention ot the lever in place substantially as and for the purpose described.

THOMAS GASKINS.

XVitnesses:

PAUL A. PETERS, HOWARD J. SPENCE. 

